Of Burning Homes
by ArbitraryFate
Summary: Robin slept like a rock, that night.


A few weeks had passed since Enies Lobby, and Robin felt as if she was on the verge of tears at any moment. Not because of sadness or guilt (the Strawhats had been sure to stomp that out of her), but because, after holding in so much emotion for so many years, she felt for the first time as if she could let it out. Allow herself to feel again. She supposed it was like being rebirthed; Luffy and the others had breathed life into a motionless corpse.

Something as simple as Sanji offering her a cocktail was enough to have her eyes water up. She didn't know whether the others even noticed, or whether they kept silent out of respect. After the events at Enies Lobby, she resolved to start trusting the others with little tidbits of information about her past (which had been revealed to them against her will), to show that she trusted them with this precious information. Robin couldn't deny that her spirit felt lighter when she mentioned to Nami her Professor's love for nectarines, or when she talked with Chopper about being bullied for being... different.

One night, after laying in bed unable to sleep, her thoughts too rapid to calm down, she silently sneaked out of the female sleeping quarters (past the slumbering Nami) and out onto the deck. Robin enjoyed turning her face against the wind, feeling the ocean drops sink into her skin, breathing in the fresh, salty air. She'd always loved the deck of any ship at night. She could pretend that she was the only person in the whole world, that it was only her, this moment, this feeling, and forget all the rest. She could be free to breathe deeply, without fear of being watched. Which, little did she know, she was being.

"OI! Robiiiiiin!", cried a childish voice from the top of the ship.

After the initial shock of being discovered, she replied: "Captain! A bit quieter, please! The others are trying to sleep!" Surprised, Luffy cupped his hands over his mouth and let out a few giggles, before sliding down the pole. "What're you doing up, Robin?", the teenager said, confused. Robin was about to lie that she had simply wanted to get some fresh air when she paused. This boy saved her life. The least she could do was be truthful. Besides, who could lie to that innocent, slightly concerned face?

"I had a... nightmare, Captain. I'm fine, just want to clear my head." She smiled, but Luffy still looked worried. "Do'ya wanna talk 'bout it?"

Once again, Robin struggled with herself before replying, in a soft voice, "Sure... Well, where to start. I won't get into all the details, but when I was younger, my home was set on fire." _She could still remember the screams._ "And... A lot of people I loved... were killed." _The smell of burning flesh, still fresh in her mind._ "I mean, I made it out, obviously, but..."

Her voice tapered off, and Luffy looked at her kindly, and finished for her: "So you have nightmares that you're still there, stuck? That you didn't get out?" Robin stared back at him, shocked, "Yes... They vary, but generally, they all revolve around that same... theme." Unbeknownst to her, a few stray tears had slipped out of her eyes. In a soft voice she wasn't aware Luffy was capable of, he replied, "Me too." Robin looked at him, shocked. He glanced away nervously, "I mean, not as bad as you, 'course, but your home being on fire, I mean. What I'm trying to say is... when I was a kid... these evil rich folks, you see, they put explody-things in the place where I lived. And it all caught fire. And a lot of people were dying. I was kinda scared of fire after that. But it was okay! Because Ace saved me, and then Ace became fire, so fire isn't scary anymore, 'cause it's Ace now, ya see?"

Robin was stunned, to say the least. She took a few seconds to think carefully of her answer. "It seems you really love your brother", she finally said, smiling slightly. Luffy, unfazed as ever, answered, "Of course! He's my nii-chan! He's been looking after me since I was really small. He used to be waaaaay stronger than me. But I'm sure I'm stronger than him now!" Luffy flashed her one of his trademark wide smiles. "I'm sure you are", she said.

She slept like a rock that night.


End file.
